Casting Crowns nabs three GRAMMY nominations

Written by Eric Tiansay

Friday, 07 December 2012 09:16 AM America/New_York

Multi-platinum band Casting Crowns received three GRAMMY Award nominations this week during a televised show from Nashville.

Matt Redman and Israel Houghton both received two GRAMMY Award nods during the Dec. 5 Grammys Nominations Concert Live, hosted by Taylor Swift and LL Cool J.

Casting Crowns was recognized in the Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance category for "Jesus Friend of Sinners" and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album category for Come to the Well (Beach Street Records/Provident Distribution). Along with Matthew West, group leader Mark Hall was also recognized as the songwriter on "Jesus Friend of Sinners" in the Best Contemporary Christian Music Song category.

Redman's "10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)" from his album 10,000 Reasons (sixstepsrecords/EMI CMG Distribution) was nominated in the Best Contemporary Christian Music Song and Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance categories.

With four consecutive GRAMMY Award-winning albums, Houghton, along with Micah Massey, was nominated in the Best Gospel Song category for "Your Presence Is Heaven" from Jesus At The Center Live (Integrity Music/Sound of the New Breed/Regenerate Music). Israel & New Breed was also recognized in the Best Gospel Album category for Jesus At The Center Live.

Hip-hop artist Lecrae garnered his second GRAMMY nomination for Gravity (Reach Records) in the Best Gospel Album category. Other nominees in the category include Identity by James Fortune & FIYA (Light Records/eOne Music); I Win by Marvin Sapp (Verity Gospel Music Group); and Worship Soul by Anita Wilson(EMI Gospel/EMI CMG).

Besides Come to the Well, the nominees in the Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album category were Where I Find You by Kari Jobe (Sparrow Records/EMI CMG); Gold by Britt Nicole (Sparrow Records/EMI CMG); Eye On It by TobyMac (ForeFront Records/EMI CMG); Into The Light by Matthew West (Sparrow Records/EMI CMG).

The 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards are scheduled for live broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. EST, Sunday, Feb. 10. Click here for a complete list of GRAMMY Award nominees.